Good Night, Lois - Under The Tree
“To your first frontpage story!” I raise my glass and touch hers with a soft clink.
“Thank you!” An adorable blush creeps across her cheeks.
The broad smile on her lips makes my heart flutter with excitement. But I caution my traitorous heart that would only be too happy to turn a friendly dinner into my first date with Lois. And what a pleasant first date it would be.
It's nothing like the loaded atmosphere between me and Lana who expected a kind of commitment I wasn't ready for. Not with that huge secret looming between us, one I feared she'd never be able to accept. Mayson was different, a DA’s assistant I met during one of my investigations.
But I soon realized that while she was definitely in love with Clark, she'd never embrace my Superman side.
The secret is always getting in the way.
Not so with Lois. She's practically known from the first time I met her. My powers have never been an issue between us. But still it doesn't feel right to put our friendship at risk. At the end of the day I'm still thirteen years older than her. She's twenty-four now, I'm close to 40, which is almost twice her age.
Much as I long to clasp our hands together, much as I’d love to share dessert, all of this is loaded now. Somehow even more so than when I was still babysitting her.
“What's the matter, Clark? You're so quiet.” Her gentle smile gives way to a slight frown.
“I was just thinking how proud I am of what you've accomplished already.”
Her lips curl into a smile before she wrinkles her nose. “Liar. When do you realize that you couldn't deceive anyone if your life depended on it?”
“Hey, I've been keeping the world's biggest secret.”
“Yeah, and how you’ve pulled that off, I will never understand.” She laughs. “So, what's going on?”
“Nothing really,” I mutter. “It's been a tough couple of days. Superman has been pretty busy lately.”
That's sort of true, so she doesn't call me out on another lie.
“And how is life at the Daily Planet, now that you've broken your first big story?”
“Pretty good,” Lois grin lights up the room. “Though I wish Perry wouldn't try to partner me up with someone. Just recently he assigned me to this new French reporter, Claude. Said that the guy would teach me the ropes.” She wrinkles her nose. “Next thing I know the man is flirting my pants off.”
My face must have betrayed my shock, because she bursts out laughing.
“Don't look at me like that. I wouldn't touch the guy with a ten foot pole. He's a sleazeball. Can you believe he's actually tried to steal my notes on a story?” She snorts. “Teaching me the ropes! The man wouldn't recognize a lead if it jumped in his face.”
I can't help but smile as I picture Lois giving this Claude guy a stiff talking to. I bet he didn't know what hit him. And my heart swells even more with pride at what an exceptional person my little girl has become.
“Too bad I wasn't there to see his face when you put him in his place.”
She smirks. “Yeah, too bad.” Then her expression sobers. “Actually, why don't you apply for a job at the Daily Planet? Three times Kerth winner Clark Kent! Perry would hire you from the spot. And you'd be a partner I could actually learn something from.”
I feel a flutter deep in my stomach. Working at the Daily Planet would be a dream come true. I've thought about it so many times. Once I even went inside to approach Perry White with one of my freelancing articles. But when I stepped into the newsroom I smelled the ink, I drank in the bustling activity all around, I got a sense of the history of this proud paper. And I knew that I’d never be able to leave if I took that first step.
So I turned on my heels and walked out while I still could.
“Perry would love you,” she says quietly.
I shake my head. “Only until he realizes I'm late all the time. And how could I even hope to explain all my absences?”
“I’d have your back.” She takes my hand and gives me a reassuring squeeze.
I drown in the dark pools of her eyes. It's so tempting to just follow her invitation. Working by her side, seeing her every day, bringing her coffee in the morning and hearing her laugh, being a real part of her life instead of some fantasy - could it get any better than that?
But it's too good to be true, she'd sooner or later hate me for having to cover for me all the time. And if one day she finds her special someone, it will be so much harder to watch her from up close than from far away.
I pull back my hand. “I don't think it's a good idea. Being so close to you, I could put you in danger.”
“Don't you think I’m old enough to decide for myself whether or not I want to risk that?” She frowns. “Trask is gone, Clark. It's time for you to have a life. I’ve grown up, and you should, too. Don't spend your time moping under the tree, like Peter did when Wendy wanted back into her life. He was being a fool and you know it. Besides, I could really use a good partner. I've got a hot lead on a ring of gun runners that stretches into the depths of the Congo.”
Last edited by bakasi; 03/07/25 03:04 AM.
